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Ziff's comparison of German civilians to fish seems to disregard any moral question whatsoever. He concludes this article by reminding the American citizen that just as aerial bombardment is "the only road open to us for attack on Germany, it is also the only road open to Hitler for attacking America".<ref>Ziff, "Wanted...", p. 41.</ref> Ziff's belief that the Fuhrer could utilize this avenue of attack "tomorrow"<ref>Ziff, "Wanted...", p. 42.</ref> belies any knowledge of air warfare at all. An air attack on the United States would have been suicidal, if not absolutely impossible, from any location in German-occupied territory. Yet, the American public was misguided into thinking that the U.S. must strike before the Nazis did.

Ziff's comparison of German civilians to fish seems to disregard any moral question whatsoever. He concludes this article by reminding the American citizen that just as aerial bombardment is "the only road open to us for attack on Germany, it is also the only road open to Hitler for attacking America".<ref>Ziff, "Wanted...", p. 41.</ref> Ziff's belief that the Fuhrer could utilize this avenue of attack "tomorrow"<ref>Ziff, "Wanted...", p. 42.</ref> belies any knowledge of air warfare at all. An air attack on the United States would have been suicidal, if not absolutely impossible, from any location in German-occupied territory. Yet, the American public was misguided into thinking that the U.S. must strike before the Nazis did.

The '''Reader's Digest''' next printed an article by Francis Vivian Drake titled "Why Don't We Really <u>Try</u> to Bomb Germany Out of the War?"  This May 1943 article labeling Drake an "aviation expert for 30 years" takes a rather statistical look at how to bomb. Drake vouches that the air plan he presents is not the work of an "armchair strategist" but is in concordance with ranking air officers and military "professionals who... analyze photographs after every raid, study Intelligence reports, assess actual destruction".<ref>Francis Vivian Drake, "Why Don't We Really <u>Try</u> to Bomb Germany Out of the War?", '''Reader's Digest''', May 1943, p. 35.</ref> Note the businesslike attitude conveyed. Drake quotes Major General Ira C. Eaker, commander of the Eighth Air Force as saying, "There is nothing that can be destroyed by gunfire that cannot be destroyed by bombs."<ref>Drake, "Why Don't We...", p. 36.</ref>  Assuming this would include innocent German civilians, it must be asked, "Does the ability to destroy someone justify that destruction?" On a more practical note, Drake comments, "With the tremendous armament carried by our Fortresses and Liberators, a force of several hundred could probably take care of itself."<ref>Drake, "Why Don't We...", p. 37.</ref> Later that year in August and October, American generals would make the same incorrect assumption in operations over Schweinfurt, thereby sending 122 Fortresses to the ground. Drake concludes that there is a sound alternative to the heartaches of great land offensives.<ref>Drake, "Why Don't We...", p. 39.</ref> Given the fallibility of his article up to that point, it is difficult to trust Drake. But the American public did not know about Schweinfurt in May.

The '''Reader's Digest''' next printed an article by Francis Vivian Drake<ref>Note: Francis Vivian Drake was born in London around 1895. While a student there, he left the classrooms in 1914 to join the British cavalry. Soon afterward he transferred in 1915 to the Royal Flying Corps and later was sent to Canada to help form the Royal Canadian Air Force. A writer on military subjects and an early educator in aviation fighting techniques, he joined the '''Reader's Digest''' staff as a roving editor in 1943. One of his books, ''Above the Battle'', was an autobiography of his WWI experiences. During WWII, he was a consultant to the US Army Air Corps.  He died 4 July 1971 at Stonington, Connecticut at the age of 76 years.  Source: ''Cross & Cockade'', Winter 1971.</ref> titled "Why Don't We Really <u>Try</u> to Bomb Germany Out of the War?"  This May 1943 article labeling Drake an "aviation expert for 30 years" takes a rather statistical look at how to bomb. Drake vouches that the air plan he presents is not the work of an "armchair strategist" but is in concordance with ranking air officers and military "professionals who... analyze photographs after every raid, study Intelligence reports, assess actual destruction".<ref>Francis Vivian Drake, "Why Don't We Really <u>Try</u> to Bomb Germany Out of the War?", '''Reader's Digest''', May 1943, p. 35.</ref> Note the businesslike attitude conveyed. Drake quotes Major General Ira C. Eaker, commander of the Eighth Air Force as saying, "There is nothing that can be destroyed by gunfire that cannot be destroyed by bombs."<ref>Drake, "Why Don't We...", p. 36.</ref>  Assuming this would include innocent German civilians, it must be asked, "Does the ability to destroy someone justify that destruction?" On a more practical note, Drake comments, "With the tremendous armament carried by our Fortresses and Liberators, a force of several hundred could probably take care of itself."<ref>Drake, "Why Don't We...", p. 37.</ref> Later that year in August and October, American generals would make the same incorrect assumption in operations over Schweinfurt, thereby sending 122 Fortresses to the ground. Drake concludes that there is a sound alternative to the heartaches of great land offensives.<ref>Drake, "Why Don't We...", p. 39.</ref> Given the fallibility of his article up to that point, it is difficult to trust Drake. But the American public did not know about Schweinfurt in May.

The fourth article, "Bomb Germany--and Save a Million American Lives" was also penned by Drake. The '''Digest''' notes that his previous article "attracted nationwide attention," therefore presumably, it would be smart to examine carefully Drake's words. The horrors of World War One are reemphasized to bolster the position of air power as a clean, inexpensive (in terms of combat lives) way to wage war. Drake notifies the reader of the Cologne raid, "which exacted 25,000 enemy lives in exchange for 257 Allied airmen."<ref>Francis Vivian Drake, "Bomb Germany--and Save a Million American Lives," '''Reader's Digest''', July 1943, p. 89.</ref> The vast majority of those 25,000 human beings were civilians, and Drake now classifies them as "enemy." Also, the word "exchange" suggests some sort of transaction in which the better party is determined by a death toll. Was killing becoming "an end in itself, ...connected in American minds to victory," as Michael Sherry theorizes? Drake goes on to extol the Air Plan's "promise of quicker victory and its proved lower cost." This is pure speculation being passed off as fact. Drake continues:

The fourth article, "Bomb Germany--and Save a Million American Lives" was also penned by Drake. The '''Digest''' notes that his previous article "attracted nationwide attention," therefore presumably, it would be smart to examine carefully Drake's words. The horrors of World War One are reemphasized to bolster the position of air power as a clean, inexpensive (in terms of combat lives) way to wage war. Drake notifies the reader of the Cologne raid, "which exacted 25,000 enemy lives in exchange for 257 Allied airmen."<ref>Francis Vivian Drake, "Bomb Germany--and Save a Million American Lives," '''Reader's Digest''', July 1943, p. 89.</ref> The vast majority of those 25,000 human beings were civilians, and Drake now classifies them as "enemy." Also, the word "exchange" suggests some sort of transaction in which the better party is determined by a death toll. Was killing becoming "an end in itself, ...connected in American minds to victory," as Michael Sherry theorizes? Drake goes on to extol the Air Plan's "promise of quicker victory and its proved lower cost." This is pure speculation being passed off as fact. Drake continues: